Lumen 2018

essary to notify other religious houses as soon as possible, so that other members of the Congregation might support the departed soul of the confrere with Holy Masses offered for his soul, prayers, and mortifications. 51 The devotion to the souls in Purgatory, so strongly emphasized by the Founder, was accepted by his spiritual sons and became one of the characteristics of the Marian community. C HARISMATIC F IGURE Father Papczynski, a man of deep faith and piety, lived in a truly evangelical climate and in deep communion with God. He estab- lished intimate ties with Christ and His Mother, with the angels, the saints, and with the souls suffering in Purgatory. Intercessors from heaven would often come to his aid at difficult moments in his life. His Guardian Angel helped him once in his childhood as he was try- ing to cross the Dunajec River. 52 St. Anthony saved him from drown- ing in a bog during his trip to Rome. 53 St. Raphael supported him on his return trip from Rome to Poland. 54 St. Joseph Calasantius healed Fr. Stanislaus from a grave illness during a vision that he had at the home of his sister. 55 Therefore, he piously venerated his heav- enly protectors, especially St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joseph, St. Peter and St. Paul, St. Stanislaus the Martyr, St. Stanislaus Kostka, as well as the Holy Guardian Angels of the places that he was passing through during his numerous journeys. 56 God supported the life of this great charismatic figure with extraordinary signs, such as levitations, visions, miracles, and prophecies. Father Papczynski’s first biographers looked for infor- mation about them and recorded it in their books. The witnesses spoke about these extraordinary gifts in the Information Process in Poznan. 429 Posthumous Cult